Steam pop-off valve



F. L. HUSSEY June 25, 1935.

Filed NEW. 21, 1932 Y E N R o H A UNITED STAT PATENT; H

Patented June 25, 1935 STEAM POP-OFF VALVE Frank L. Hussey, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Blue Ribbon Products Company, Inc., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Application November 21, 1932, Serial No. 643,668

2 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in steam pop-off valves and has for its object the provision of a simple and effective arrangement for disposing of the inevitable water of condensation accumulating and passing through such valves.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which Fig. l is a side view, shown partially in vertical section, of a steam pop-off valve employed in the improved construction;

Fig. 2 a complete vertical section of the same shown in position of actual use;

Fig. 3 a view of the same showing the operation thereof when admitting air; and

Fig. 4 a horizontal section taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 2.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing comprises a suitable valve casing I having an internally threaded sleeve II at its lower end adapted and arranged to engage the external threads on a nipple I2 atthe top of a vertically arranged steam pipe I3. An evaporation pan I4 is provided as shown with a central perforation adapted to fit over the nipple I2 and be imprisoned between the sleeve I I and pipe end I3, as shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement furnishes a simple and convenient construction for mounting the evaporation pan I4 in intimate contact with and immediately surrounding the base of the valve casing I I] and the top of the steam pipe I3.

Arranged within the valve casing I0 is a main valve head I5 having an annular valve seat 16 at its bottom seating on the bottom of the casing I0 around the opening in the sleeve II, thereby normally closing the upper end of the pipe I3 when the valve head I 5 is seated, said valve head being held by its weight in closed position. A re-- movable cap I! is threaded as shown to the top of the casing I0 and provided with a central steam escape opening I8, said cap serving to permit of the insertion of the valve head in the casing and preventing its escape during use.

At its bottom the casing I0 is provided with a drain opening I9 through which water of condensation will drain from the valve easing into the evaporation pan I4, from which said water will be quickly evaporated and disseminated by the heat passing to said pan from the steam pipe I3.

The valve head I5 is provided with a central enlargement 2I in which is arranged a ball valve 22 normally held to its seat by means of a spring 23, which in turn is held within the valve head by means of a threaded plug 24. Transverse passageways 25 are shown in the valve head I5 above the ball 22. In operation, when the steam pressure in the pipe I3 rises sufiiciently, the valve headi I5 will be raised from its seat to permit the escape of steam, in the usual way. Should the valve head I5 rise to the top of the valve casing Ill, nevertheless the steam may escape through the passageways 25 and the central upper passageway 20. Any water of condensation collecting in or under the valve casing II! will drain through the opening I 9 into the evaporation pan I4 and thus be quickly evaporated and disseminated without danger of being forcibly ejected from the valve casing.

Thus a simple and eflicient construction is provided which will automatically collect and disseminate any Water of condensation without danger of spattering or spreading the same over persons or furniture. The specific form and arrangement of parts is a simple and effective one for the purpose. 1

When the valve head I5 is closed and condensation or contraction occurs within the steam pipe I3, tending to form a vacuum in the system, the ball valve 22 will automatically open against the resistance of the spring 23 and thereby supply suflicient air to destroy such vacuum and the consequent pressure in the system.

While the preferred construction and arrangement of parts has been set forth and described in detail, these are capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore not. desired to limit the patent to the precise details disclosed, but to have the same include such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valve of the class described comprising a casing having a central escape opening in the top and an entry opening in the bottom; a valve in said casing automatically lifted by fluid under pressure entering through said entry opening until said valve contacts with the top of the casing, there being a central vertical passageway through said valve registering with the opening in the top of the casing when the valve is so lifted; and a yielding ball valve closing the lower end of the upper portion of said passageway,

there being a transverse opening through said valve above said ball and a drain opening leading from the bottom of said casing.

2. A valve of the class described comprising a casing having a central escape opening in the top and an entry opening in the bottom; a valve in said casing automatically lifted by fluid under pressure entering through said entry opening until said .valve contacts with the top of the casing,

10 there being a central vertical passageway through 7 said drain opening.

said valve registering with the opening in the top of the casing when the valve is so lifted; a yielding ball valve closing the lower end of the upper portion of said passageway, there being a transverse opening through said valve above said ball and a drain opening leading from the bottom of said casing; and an evaporation pan surrounding the base of said casing to receive the flow from 

